Course Data

Water Rights Law (Water Law and Policy):
Water is the planet's “blue gold.” In this course, students will understand the laws and policies that have shaped how this valuable resource is shared among competing users, and explore how the law needs to evolve to meet emerging demands. Students learn about the Clean Water Act, riparian and appropriation doctrines, the public trust doctrine, the intersection of water quality and quantity as well as surface and groundwater. We also examine water institutions, transboundary allocation schemes, and federalism. Throughout, we tie the law back to contemporary dilemmas, and the role of science and economics in shaping water law and policy.